Play Review by Patrick Mulvihill:
Next to Normal
A review of the Lord Leebrick Theater's (Eugene, OR) production
of the hit broadway musical, Next to Normal.
Performance date: January 24th, 2013.
The backbone of musical theatre is, of
course, the music. For a small-scale production, the musical score of the Lord
Leebrick version of Next to Normal was
remarkably mature, strengthening the play as a whole. The actors and
musicians almost always managed to convey emotions with both power
and clarity, using music as an emotive force to draw the audience deeper into the narrative.
Instead
of relying on pre-recorded instrumental tracks to sing over, (a tactic that some
small local theatres employ), this production hosted a full band: a drummer, a
bassist, an electric guitarist, a cellist, and a pianist. The accompaniment was
subtle and never overpowering, but it still provided a level of energy and
passion that a recorded track could never have achieved. In terms of volume, it
was quite easy to disentangle the vocalists from the mix and understand the
lyrics. The band’s musical sensitivity made this possible. For
example, when the electric guitarist switched to a distorted hard rock tone, he
kept his amplifier volume level very low so that his playing would not intrude on the vocal
performances. This dynamic restraint is of great importance in a musical like Next to Normal where the majority of the
dialogue is sung.
Another
example of restraint was the drummer’s use of multi-rod drumsticks instead of
conventional ones. These are made up of many smaller sticks banded together –
which gives them a softer attack than regular drumsticks, yet a more aggressive
sound than metal brushes which many jazz drummers prefer. Just like the
guitarist, the drummer was concerned with achieving the powerful sound of rock
but without the ear-shattering volume associated with the genre.
With
an excellent support from the instrumentalists, the actors were allowed to
shine. The actresses who played Diana and Natalie had soaring mezzo-soprano
voices suitable for the big, dramatic emotions they were attempting to convey. Another
powerful singer was the actor portraying Gabe. His voice was much more steely
and biting than his Broadway counter-part, but this was a welcome change. Several
of the songs about pain and longing such as “I Am the One” were vastly improved by
his shouting, urgent tone.
Lord Leebrick theater in downtown Eugene. New address is 198 W. Broadway.
The
actor who played Dan was also a skilled singer (and thespian) but his voice did
not fit that of a middle-aged man. His tone was so young and pure that it was
difficult to imagine him as a father figure. Remember that Dan is supposed to
be a tired, weary husband whose youth has long since passed – and this actor
failed to project that idea visually and sonically. Also, because all the male
actors sang in the tenor register, it was difficult to tell them apart. An easy
solution would have been to make Dan a lyrical baritone. However, talented
baritones are much more rare than tenors. Therefore, it is more likely that the
man who played Dan was chosen for his considerable theatrical talent, not for his
accuracy in depicting the character.
Still,
the music was quite effective. The catchy songs helped me stay focused on the
complex narrative. Numerous times, I felt chills. I was drawn into the story’s
world and I suddenly cared a great deal about Diana and her family even though they
were fictional characters in a bizarre, surreal situation that I would never be
put in. Reading the play did not give that same sense of empathy. True, it was
a cleverly written play, intricate and richly nuanced, but text alone cannot
reveal the efficacy of a musical – one must witness it and hear the songs in
action. The music of Next to Normal
is the key to its emotional power.
